FREE On-Demand HRCI & SHRM Recertification Credits

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Hopefully, you didn’t stumble across this blog post because you are hurrying to get as many credits as possible before your credentials expire. The good news? You are in luck! I have been in your shoes – more than once – so I will give you some insight. This will guide you in the right direction. I will warn you, the options have PROs and CONs to them. You obviously want to get them in a very short period of time! I will show you where there are FREE recorded on-demand webinars for HRCI & SHRM recertification credits, accessible any time!

Been There, Done That

I had to recertify towards the end of 2018 and was panic-stricken doing so. Time and money were not in abundance and I struggled to find FREE options in a short period of time. I did find some great resources that have multiple options to access all year round. However, this post will be specific to on-demand and what you have to do to take advantage. I will warn you now….there are PROs and CONs to on-demand webinars so please read through for clarity!

On-Demand Recertification Credit Options

HCM Online Academy

• PROs:
  • Over 40+ on-demand webinars all with SHRM/HRCI program codes.
  • Additional FREE instructional HR content.
  • The website states having 2 NEW presentations each month (can’t verify because I do not see dates on the content).
  • Easy sign-up – email response is immediate.
  • You get your own portal that keeps track of your courses.
  • After a brief quiz (the one I took was one question), the codes immediately pop up on the screen afterward.
• CONs:
  • After I completed the webinar 1/9/2020 and the codes popped up on the screen, they were only good until 12/31/2019. I entered them in the respective recertification portals anyway just to see if I could do so. I was able to enter into both systems and used the completed date as 1/9/2020. We will see if that will hold true when I submit my recertification application.
• IMPORTANT NOTES:
  • I would NOT ignore this site.
  • It has been the easiest on-demand site so far to earn recertification credits.
  • Keep in mind, I have only been able to complete 1 of these webinars so far.
  • While researching my own HCM Online Learning portal (free to register), I couldn’t find any release dates on the site so I wasn’t able to see any expirations either.
  • I will complete more of these current webinars when time allows and will update this information accordingly so subscribe and stay tuned in!
  • Last but not least, I always submit more codes than necessary in case those without pre-approved credits OR the projects that I complete and submit do not count.

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Ascentis

• PROs:
  • On-demand webinars are eligible for earned certification and program codes.
  • According to the FAQs of the site, You must register and then use the unique link that is sent to your email in order to get credit.
    • When I registered, the on-demand webinar was immediate. To view, I had to re-type in my name and email address and then the webinar began.
  • Webinars are available for at least a month after the live presentation-the last day of the following month to be exact-so you have some time to get it done.
• CONs:
  • You must have a ‘business’ email. So if you are working, you are all set. However, for some in between jobs, this will be difficult. They do no like Yahoo or Gmail emails to register – this is because they can be associated as spambots. Being that I work from home and also have my own website, I used my site email address: judean@hrwhat.com and it worked!
  • Because the on-demand webinars are only available until the end of the month following the date of the live presentation, you may not have as many options to view. 
    • On 11/26, I completed an on-demand webinar that was live on 11/14. This means it is only available for on-demand viewing until 12/31.
  • Waiting for credits can take longer than 1 month to receive. I have done 2 on-demand webinars so far and I received credit activity codes more than 30 days later – so this is not a good option if you are credit-crunching at the end (unless you get an extension of course!)

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Applicant Pro

• PROs:
  • This was quite possibly the easiest sign-up! I used my personal email address.
  • The webinar is on-demand-like immediately.
  • Lots of great information to learn from and it is all free.
• CONs:
  • While advertised otherwise through various online sources, I do not believe these are certified webinars. I completed a webinar and received nothing.
  • I wasn’t able to download a presentation and I received no emails stating I signed up or received any credit.
  • Used the chat function to ask about recertification credits only to receive a chat message 15+ minutes later stating to enter my email address and they responded with: “Thanks for reaching out! So it depends on the webinar. Some of them are pre-approved and some aren’t! I talked to one of our SHRM Specialists and he told me that you are able to submit the form for any webinar and see if it gets approved but there is no yes or no answer for that! I hope this answers your question! Let me know if I can help you with anything else!”
  • If you choose this option, there is a chance it may be certified, there is a change it may be accepted. When the webinar was complete, I didn’t receive any form so not sure how you would be able to submit it. Another question I will ask.

Final Thoughts

It can be really difficult when you are trying to recertify for HRCI or SHRM. However, when I have been in this situation, I have learned a lot and wanted to share it all for those in similar situations. Here is a general summary with some added information for you about recertification credits and where you can find them:

1. There are on-demand webinars but the timing of when you see the on-demand webinar and then receive credit can be different for all. This information is specific to FREE on-demand availability:
   • HCM Online Learning – immediate access, personal portal, 2 new webinars each month, SHRM/HRCI codes are immediate, additional HR learning content.
   • Ascentis – access immediately, on-demand webinars available until the last day of the following month, SHRM/HRCI codes arrive after 30 days or so depending on timing.
   • ApplicantPro – immediate access, on-demand webinars, despite the advertising I never received codes nor any documentation from them that I completed the course.
2. For additional on-demand webinars and all year round FREE options, click here.
3. Have you struggled with organizing all of the HRCI/SHRM credit-worthy projects, attended webinars, conferences, etc? Click here to learn how I was able to keep up with my recertification efforts during the three year period!

You may be wondering if there is a catch to all of these free options. The only catch I see is that you submit your email address and then you receive lots of emails from the sites. Some emails are good and contain free information and some are spam. I don’t mind any of it. As an HR professional consultant, the more information, the better!

Good luck on your recertification journey! Please don’t wait until the last minute to get your recertification credits! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me by commenting below or sending me an email!

all the best, *judean*

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